St John's
Catholic Primary School
At St John's we grow and learn in the footsteps of Jesus.
Curious
Thoughtful
Prayerful
Respectful
Creative
Independent
Caring
Responsible
Latest News
Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.
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Letter from Mrs O'Rourke
Wed 17 Dec 2025Dear Families,
As we approach the end of another busy and joyful term, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the many achievements of our wonderful school community and to thank you for your continued support.
A Term Full of Achievement and Joy
This term has been filled with so much to celebrate. Above all, we are proud of the happy, confident children who come into school each day ready to learn, grow and live out our Catholic values. Classrooms have been full of challenging and engaging learning, with children encouraged to think deeply, work collaboratively and take pride in their achievements.
Our reading breakfasts, shared with parents and carers, have been a highlight of the term. These mornings have strengthened our partnership with families and reinforced the importance of reading for pleasure and purpose.
We have been fortunate to be well supported by the Friends of St John’s who are always working away in the background to support the school and supplement wider opportunities for your child which we would otherwise not be able to afford. We have enjoyed cake sales, car boot sales, theatre workshops, the Christmas Fayre and this week the visit from the wonder dome. A huge thank you to everyone involved with the Friends but in particular to all those who make things happen – we are very grateful! If you think you have some time to join the group in 2026 please do speak with the representatives or a class teacher who will point you in the right direction – together we are stronger.
Our Catholic Life
The Catholic life of St John’s continues to flourish. We have gathered together for Masses and services including reconciliation throughout the term, strengthening our faith as a community. We were delighted to celebrate the children who received their First Holy Communion, a truly special and prayerful occasion for families and the parish. As always, we are very grateful for the ongoing support and guidance from Fr Richard and the wider parish.
The EYFS Nativity was a beautiful reminder of the true meaning of Christmas and brought great joy to all who attended. Our children continue to show generosity and compassion through their charity work, living out our mission to serve others. Our challenge from Sr Judith Russi is now to go deeper and higher in our thinking and actions.
Visits to Clifton Cathedral with the Chapel Champions have enriched children’s understanding of their faith and provided powerful moments of reflection and awe. We are delighted to be working in partnership with other Catholic Schools across the Diocese.
Mrs Graham, one of our wonderful Lunchtime and Extended Day supervisors will be leaving St. John’s Catholic Primary School at the end of this term. Mrs Graham has been working at the school for over ten years and dedicated her time, love and commitment to the children. We wish her all the very best in her next chapter and say a huge “thank you” for all her work over the years.
Enriching Experiences Beyond the Classroom
Learning at St John’s extends far beyond the classroom. Year 3 visited a local restaurant to reflect on different foods around the world whilst Year 5 thoroughly enjoyed their visit to the Art Sculpture Park in Salisbury, where creativity and curiosity were brought to life. These experiences help broaden horizons and deepen understanding across the curriculum.
We continue to have excellent links with Trowbridge library and Trowbridge museum where every year every child at St John’s visits the museum and library each academic year or the museum can sometimes even travel to their classroom!
Residential visits and educational trips remain a vital part of our wider offer, helping children to grow in independence, resilience and teamwork. We are extremely proud of our Year 6 children who engaged so well in their residential visit to Skern Lodge – they came back full of stories and successes!
Our Dedicated Staff Team
None of these opportunities would be possible without our exceptional staff team. They consistently go above and beyond what their job descriptions ask of them, always seeking new ways to improve the curriculum and enrich the wider life of the school. Their dedication, professionalism and care for every child is something we are incredibly proud of.
Recognition and Success
This term, we have welcomed visits from Wiltshire Local Authority, educational experts supporting early reading, and, of course, our Section 48 inspection, where we were delighted to be judged Outstanding across all areas. This outcome reflects the strength of our Catholic ethos, the quality of teaching and learning, and the shared commitment of staff, pupils, parents and governors.
A Christmas Message for Families
As we prepare for Christmas, we are reminded of the importance of love, hope and family. In his Christmas message to parents, Pope Leo speaks of the vital role families play in nurturing faith, kindness and compassion in children. He encourages parents to take time for reflection and prayer during this season.
Some families may wish to explore Pope Leo’s reflections further by reading Dilexit Nos, which offers a thoughtful meditation on love, faith and our relationships with one another.
On behalf of everyone at St John’s Catholic Primary School, I would like to thank you for your continued support and partnership. We wish you a holy, peaceful and joyful Christmas, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back in the New Year.
May God bless you and your families.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs O’Rourke
Headteacher
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A Christmas Prayer
Wed 17 Dec 2025A Christmas Prayer
Loving God,
We thank you for the gift of our children, for the joy they bring and the love they share.
As we celebrate the birth of Jesus this Christmas, fill our homes with peace, kindness and hope.
Bless our families, our school community and all those who care for and guide our children.
May your light shine in our hearts this Christmas and lead us into the New Year with faith and joy.
Amen.
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Kindness Class Mass - Tuesday 9th December
Wed 17 Dec 2025Kindness Class Mass - Tuesday 9th December
On Tuesday 9th December, Kindness Class celebrated their Class Mass in the school hall, joined by family members and friends.
The Mass focused on the Gospel of Matthew 18:12-14, the Parable of the Lost Sheep, which the children had been exploring beforehand. Through this Gospel, the pupils reflected on what it means to be lost, who might feel lost in our world today and how we can all be change-makers by showing care, kindness and inclusion.
The children shared their many gifts and talents through singing, music, reading and leading prayers. It was lovely to see Kindness Class come together to celebrate their faith. Thank you to all the family and friends who were able to join us on this special occasion.
Pupil voice:
- “I enjoyed singing the hymns and going to the front for the Psalm” – Violetta
- “I felt like the Gospel was meaningful for me because of all the learning we did on it in class” – William
Parent voice:
- “The children’s reading and singing was lovely”
- “I liked the children’s involvement in the service”
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Letter From Mrs O'Rourke
Fri 05 Dec 2025Dear Families,
As we reach the end of another busy and vibrant two weeks in Term 2, I want to take a moment to reflect on the wonderful learning experiences and community events that have taken place across our school. It has been a period overflowing with creativity, curiosity, and togetherness—hallmarks of our Catholic school family.
We began with an inspiring visit from the RISE Theatre Company, whose engaging performance encouraged our children to think deeply about faith, kindness, and the positive impact they can make in the world. Their message resonated beautifully with our school values, catholic social teaching and the children have continued to talk about it with great enthusiasm.
Our Upper Key Stage 2 pupils were fortunate to take part in workshops led by Trowbridge Museum, exploring the history of World War II in Trowbridge. These sessions brought history to life in a meaningful and locally relevant way, enriching the pupils’ understanding of the past.
We were equally pleased to welcome representatives from the English Hub, supported by the Department for Education, who visited to observe and support our ongoing work in early reading and phonics. Their positive feedback reflects the dedication of our staff and the enthusiasm of our children as they grow into confident readers.
This fortnight also saw valuable parent workshops with the School Nurse, alongside our warmly received Reading Breakfasts, where parents and children enjoyed sharing stories and celebrating the joy of reading together. Across the school, excitement continues to build as our EYFS pupils prepare for their Nativity, and as the older children practise their carols for our much-anticipated Carol Concert. The sound of joyful singing has filled our corridors and reminds us of the hope and light of this Advent season.
Last Friday the whole of the staff team gathered together for our annual day of RE reflection and spiritual development. We were blessed to be joined by Sr Judith Russi who lead us with an inspirational morning of professional development and spiritual growth – there is much for us to do and we are excited about the opportunities ahead of us. It was also a timely opportunity for the team to reflect and celebrate the outcomes of the Section 48 inspection.
Strengthening Home–School Partnerships
Having listened carefully to feedback from our Summer Term Parent Survey, particularly the request for more guidance on supporting learning at home, we are taking steps to enhance the way we share information with families. Parents are key partners in their child’s education, and we want to ensure you feel confident and well-informed about the curriculum and how best to support your child’s progress.
As part of this work, we are trialling a new approach with our Upper Key Stage 2 children. Before the end of Term 2, parents will receive information about their child’s reading age and decoding skills. This will be accompanied by clear, practical suggestions for supporting reading fluency, decoding strategies, and comprehension skills at home. This trial will help us determine how we can most effectively share meaningful information with families moving forward.
With so much happening across the school, it has been a joy to see the children embrace every opportunity with enthusiasm, resilience, and kindness. They continue to thrive academically, socially, and spiritually, and we remain immensely proud of each and every one of them. Thank you for your continued support and partnership as we journey through Advent together.
Warmest wishes,
Mrs O’Rourke
Headteacher
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GOOD NEWS - Diocese Inspection
Fri 05 Dec 2025GOOD NEWS - Diocese Inspection
Dear Families,
As you will have heard from Mrs O’Rourke following the recent R.E. inspection on 13th/ 14th November St. Johns have been graded “Outstanding” in religious education by the Inspectors.
As R. E. is a golden thread throughout the curriculum this indicates a high level of achievement across all subjects.
On behalf of the Governors “Congratulations” to Mrs O’Rourke and the Whole School Team and of course the Children who are really engaged in their learning.
Thank you also to you the parents and carers for your support to the school.
The Governors wish you a Happy Christmas and a peaceful 2026
Mike Simmons
Chair
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Advent Penitential Service
Fri 05 Dec 2025Advent Penitential Service
This morning, our Chapel Champions beautifully led our Advent Penitential Service, continuing their vital role in shaping the prayer life of our school and supporting others in their faith journey. The children showed deep reverence throughout - singing, praying and reflecting on the Advent themes of hope, renewal and preparation.
A huge thank you to Father Richard for celebrating Mass with us, to Mr Almeada for leading the music and to our parish priest Fr Krupa for supporting the children in Years 4, 5 and 6 as they received the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
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Letter from Mrs O'Rourke
Tue 25 Nov 2025Dear Families and Friends of St John’s,
This has been a hugely successful Term 2, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to every member of our school community. Your support, encouragement and partnership have been deeply appreciated, and they continue to make St John’s the vibrant, faith-filled community we are so proud to be.
This term has been marked by many successes across the school. Most notably, we welcomed our Section 48 inspection team last week. I am incredibly grateful to everyone—staff, pupils governors and families—for the warmth, honesty and openness shown throughout the process. The inspectors spoke highly of the ethos and spirit within our school, and we look forward to sharing the full report with you as soon as it is released in the coming days.
I would also like to thank the large group of parents who took the time to complete the questionnaire. Your responses were overwhelmingly positive about the quality of Catholic education at St John’s, and your affirming comments mean a great deal to us. They strengthen our resolve to continue placing Christ at the centre of all we do.
Across the school, the children have worked with enthusiasm, creativity and determination. I am especially proud of our Year 6 pupils, who represented St John’s so brilliantly on their residential visit to Skern Lodge. Their maturity, teamwork and joyful spirit were noted by everyone who worked with them, and they were exemplary ambassadors for our school. It was also noted by the instructors that the children’s den building was very impressive – thank you OPAL!
This Friday our whole staff team will be taking part in a dedicated yearly RE Training and Development Day with Sr Judith Russi. This will be a valuable opportunity to reflect together on our mission and to deepen our understanding of how we continue to shape and strengthen Catholic education for every child entrusted to our care. Please note school is closed all day this Friday.
As we approach the sacred season of Advent—our time of waiting, hope and joyful expectation—I would like to end with a prayer:
Advent Prayer
Loving God,
As we enter this season of light and promise,
Open our hearts to welcome Your presence anew.
Guide our preparations, calm our busy minds,
And help us to recognise You in one another.
May our school community grow in faith, hope and love,
And may the peace of Christ fill our homes this Advent.
Amen.
Wishing you and your families a peaceful and hope-filled Advent season.
With every blessing,
Mrs O’Rourke
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Year 5 and 6 Singing
Tue 25 Nov 2025Year 5 and 6 Singing
Our Year 5 and 6 pupils have been busy developing their singing with the generous support of members from our parish. Together, they have been practising a range of beautiful hymns in preparation for our Children’s Mass, which was celebrated on Sunday 16th November.
The children sang with confidence, clarity, and joy, and their hard work truly shone through. We are grateful to our parish volunteers for sharing their time and musical talents.
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First Holy Communion Enrolment
Tue 25 Nov 2025First Holy Communion Enrolment
The next First Holy Communion and First Confession preparation programme at St John the Baptist will start on 29th January and run on certain Thursday evenings at St. John’s Parish Centre until June (dates will be given to parents upon registration).
If your child has been Baptised and is in school year 3 and above you can enrol them by filling in the online form: First Holy Communion Registration 2026 Alternatively, the form can be found on the St John the Baptist parish website: www.stjohnthebaptisttrowbridge.co.uk
Deadline for registration is 5th December. There will be no registrations past this date. Baptism certificate’s need to be emailed to Eve in the Parish Office to complete your registration: trowbridge.stjohnthebaptist@cliftondiocese.com
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Rise Theatre Visit
Tue 25 Nov 2025Rise Theatre Visit
On Wednesday 12th November St John's were treated to a visit from a Catholic theatre company called Rise Theatre. They were here to help the children learn about the Catholic Social Teaching themes that are embedded in the teaching and learning of the school.
Through performance which used puppetry, film, theatre and song the children followed the journey of a fictional school child as he looked for hidden gems through interactions with characters such as Ivor Bigbrain, a junk shop owner, a trawler fisherman and the Saint, Oscar Romero.
The children went further in the workshops in their classrooms which focused on Dignity of the Person and Rights and Responsibilities. Thanks to the Friends of St John's who provided the funds for the day's activities.
